The Cookie of Remembrance

---Aaron---

Faced with Indigo's question, Old Henry was very calm. "What did you taste?" he asked back.

"What did you put in it? Why did it make me—why did it bring up memories?" Jason looked a tad alarmed.

"What did you taste?" Old Henry repeated, sweeping over us with his electric blue eyes. "What did you see?"

Jason hesitated. I had a feeling that it was something private that he wasn't willing to share with a strange old man.

"Is this the Cookie of Remembrance?" Katherine said suddenly, her eyes flying open.

"Ah, you're a smart one." Old Henry smiled. "Yes, indeed it is." Katherine inhaled sharply.

"I've only heard of it. I didn't know the art still existed. May I ask, Mr. Henry, if you use white lilac mixed with rosemary in the cookies?"

"Yes," Old Henry looked pleased that someone knew. "You are very knowledgeable, my child. It will benefit you in the future." I looked from a wide-eyed Katherine to a calm Old Henry, to the bewildered and slightly alarmed faces of the others. What is the Cookie of Remembrance? And what did flowers have to do with it?

"Mr. Henry," Katherine said cautiously. "Were you expecting us today?" The old man smiled, and it sent a chill down my spine.

"Yes, I was expecting guests. How did you know?"

"She is very observant," Lucian cut in before Katherine could reply. "Now, what the hell is the Cookie of Remembrance? And what is going on?"

Old Henry didn't reply immediately; instead, he squinted his eyes and looked Lucian up and down. Lucian suddenly looked very nervous. "Ah, yes, it's all coming together now," Old Henry mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "The feisty yet brave and loyal one holds elemental power in his hands. The warrior has a heart full of fire and walks a path of their own. The quiet ones have the loudest minds and the wisest advice. You, Indy, must be the mastermind." He trained his blue eyes on her. Indigo looked shocked. I had a sudden urge to stand in front of her and protect her from this old man that was creeping me out by the second.

Realization dawned on Rachel and Katherine's faces. Ashley froze. Slowly, what Old Henry had said registered in my mind. Elemental power. Warrior. Mastermind. This guy knew who we are! I felt the blood draining from my face.

"Okay, it's been nice chatting with you and all, but uh, we need to get going, like really," Jason snapped out of his trance and stood up abruptly. He grabbed Ashley's arm and went for the door. Lucian and Rachel began to rise from their seats.

Old Henry snapped his fingers. As I watched in shocked silence, all the windows slammed shut, one by one. The door, which had been left partly open, slammed close with a resounding boom that echoed ominously throughout the mill. The room darkened, with the only natural light being slants of sunlight that peeked in through cracks on the wooden walls. Tens of candles flickered to life. Old Henry stood up and grinned a scary smirk that glued me to my seat. An unknown fear rose up inside me.

"Woah! Not cool!" Lucian said. "Like Jason said, we really need to get going—" With a wave of Old Henry's hand, and Lucian fell silent, his eyes frantic. A silent spell that made the victim unable to speak. Ashley once threatened to use it on Lucian if he didn't shut up. Now we all saw it in action.

Ashley gasped. She pointed a shaky finger at Old Henry. "The Silencio Spell. How—how did you know it?" Old Henry trained his ever-so-calm gaze on Ashley. "Ah, you must be the spell-master, then. You certainly know your spells."

"Immbol—" Ashley began, but Old Henry drew a quick symbol in the air with his index finger and Ashley lurched forward.

"Hey! Disrumpto!" Jason shouted, lunging forward as the spell he cast broke Old Henry's hold on Ashley. She staggered, and Jason caught her. "Ashley! You alright?" Ashley nodded, and Jason positioned himself in front of her, shielding her with his body. "Who are you exactly?! What do you want from us?!"

Old Henry merely raised his eyebrows, amused. He looked back at the rest of us, frozen with shock. "Oh, nothing much. I'm actually here to help you. Without hearing me out, you wouldn't last a day out there. The evil lord is already on your trail."